Jacques Faussat — Restaurant in Paris

Genuinely one of my favorite dining experiences! I visited France for the first time this summer and picked Jacques Faussat on a whim, but I'll definitely be making a special visit the next time I decide to travel to Paris.

The food was outstanding and 100% worth the Michelin star already. My friend and I both got the 3-course menu (but, of course, sampled each other's dishes, so it felt like a 6-course meal). We started with a smattering of amuse bouche, including garlic bonbon, wafers, and the cutest little aubergine tarts. I never thought that garlic candy could taste good, but Jacques Faussat somehow made it happen. For our appetizers, I ordered the mushroom ravioli and my friend got the squid with squid ink. The ravioli was filled with delightfully earthy, umami mushrooms and paired with a fresh, herbaceous green sauce. The pasta was perfectly cooked and surrounded by a few extra little mushrooms just to really pack in the mushroom flavor. The squid was also fantastic; it was perfectly cooked, with a slight bite but no rubberiness, and the squid ink sauce emphasized the briney, umami flavor without making the dish too fishy.

However, the real star of the show was the mains! I got their cod with peas and carrots and, not only was the presentation gorgeous (who knew you could create so many different shapes and textures with two vegetables?), but the cod was to die for. It was the most tender, succulent fillet I've ever had, falling apart at the slightest touch from my fork. The fish / veggies themselves were just lightly seasoned, allowing their natural flavors to shine through, but there was also a fantastic sauce on the side that you could use to switch up the flavor profiles.

The desserts were also delightful -- our options were the rhubarb cheesecake with sichuan peppercorn sorbet and a chocolate mousse with marigold ice cream. The cheesecake was delicious and had a wonderful hit of tartness from the rhubarb and hint of crispiness from the pastry coating; the sorbet definitely had quite the peppercorn kick, and it was exciting to see them lean into a bolder flavor profile here. However, the dessert that I'll dream of until I somehow make it back here will be the chocolate mousse; it was remarkably simple on paper, but the light floral marigold ice cream perfectly balanced out the rich dark chocolate mousse and shell; the green herb sauce around it was equally fantastic and helped to brighten up the dessert.

Beyond the food, what really made Jacques Faussat shine was the service. The staff was incredibly kind and attentive, even letting my friend and I practice our rusty French to order. That French later came in handy when Jacques himself came out to greet us and thank us for joining him, which was truly the perfect end to the evening! The restaurant is pretty small, with capacity for max 10 tables, so the chef is able to put a ton of care and personal flair into each dish he makes and table he serves. Truly can't recommend this...

Jacques Faussat, Paris » My visit: Feb 2025 » Total score: 4.4/5 – good to very good » In a nutshell: Perhaps not a place I would visit often, but overall I thought the restaurant was worth a visit once. 1|121|68

My ratings for this gourmet restaurant in detail:

●● Service – 4.6/5 – still very good: ● Hospitality, friendliness, obligingness, etc.: 4.7/5 ● Atmosphere, temper, facilitation, etc.: 4.4/5

●● Food – 4.5/5 – good to very good: ● Flavors (range, depth, composition, harmony/balance, etc.): 4.6/5 ● Level (thoroughness, craftsmanship, originality, exclusivity, variety of impressions, consistency/diversity, etc.): 4.3/5 ● Choices: 4.7/5

●● Beverages, mainly the wines – 4.6/5 – still very good: ● Taste (depth/range, length, complexity, balance, accessibility, elegance, intensity/subtlety, etc.): 4.7/5 ● Level (variety/novelty of impressions, consistency/diversity, exclusivity, etc.): 4.5/5 ● Did the beverages (mainly the wines) match the dishes?: 4.7/5 ● Choices: 3.7/5

●● Presentation of the food – 3.9/5 – satisfactory to good: ● Textures and (differences in) temperatures: 4.6/5 ● Colors and decorations: 4.0/5 ● Timing and sequencing as well as sizes of portions: 4.0/5 ● Special effects (positionings, DIY-effects, sculptural or thematic elements, surprises, color and motion effects, fake effects, olfactory effects, fog or smoke effects, etc.): 3.2/5 ● Procedures at and around the table (attunements and explanations, elements added/changed, service and staffing intensity, involvement of kitchen team, orchestrated dish presentations, preparations and dishes (partially) built up at the table, etc.): 3.4/5

●● Presentation of beverages, mainly the wines – 3.1/5 – still sufficient: ● Procedures at and around the table (explanations and attunements, etc.): 2.7/5 ● Quantities poured as well as timing in relation to the dishes: 3.7/5

●● Premises and location – 4.4/5 – good to very good: ● Accessibility, surroundings and - as applicable - the view: 4.1/5 ● How did I like the room or - as applicable - outdoor area’s style, decor and atmosphere?: 4.7/5 ● Well-being (space, privacy, temperature, ventilation/odors, lighting, soundscape, sanitary facilities, etc.): 4.5/5

●● Price – 4.5/5 – good to very good: ● Price-performance ratio for food: 4.7/5 ● Price-performance ratio for wines and other beverages: 4.2/5 ● Price transparency and correspondence of the expected to the actual price (simple, complete and unambiguous price information on the restaurant's website and in the menu,...

I took my parents to dinner at Jacques Faussat in October, where we tried the chef's seasonal menu with the wine pairing. We also added the fois gras and cheese courses, which were absolutely incredible and also too much food for any person. (I was warned and disregarded it. No regrets.)

The menu was stellar, and the chef made more than one personal appearance to deliver courses and pieces to his exacting specifications. The first courses included autumnal hazelnuts, mushrooms, and sqaush with dijon foams and rustic breads. All were delightful, and I was impressed with all of the wine pairings.

The location is very small. Cozy, unpretentious. There were only a handful of tables, and all were extremely well cared for. We dressed up a bit, but other guests were wearing jeans. This is not a place for coat tails.

What truly stood out was the service. Our host and server - I so wish I could tell you his name - was charming, punctillious, funny, and attentive. He was phenomenal at his job. He made the experience elevated without being fussy, which was important to us, as this was my parents' first experience in fine dining. An example of his service: my dad did not do well with the cheese course, as it involved a sort of blue mix cheese, which he doesn't prefer. (We were asked if we had any preferences at the start and did not inform the staff. They had no way to know.) I loved it, though, and ate his portion. Our host let it play out, but clearly took note, came by after the course to check on us, made a joke about giving away food, and then took the cheese off the bill at the end of the meal. He did it all with a charming, joking chagrin - and all over a fantastic cheese that I ate!

I would 100% recommend Jacques Faussat to anyone looking for a special night out with fantastic food and without a pretentious atmosphere. We would be thrilled to come back next time...